PGSU Garden Story: Jerald

When Jerald and his family moved to their St. George home three years ago, they inherited a yard filled mostly with rocks, yuccas, and a struggling lawn overtaken by Bermuda grass. He spent five months—along with a small crew and countless trailer loads—removing the deep layers of rock mulch surrounding the property.

With a clean slate, Jerald set out to design something entirely different: a fruit-filled, permaculture-inspired garden.

Building a Food Forest

Fruit trees came first—dozens of them. Citrus trees were tucked on the warm southern side of the house, while other varieties were placed with equal care. Each tree was planted within a guild: a supportive community of plants designed to nourish soil and repel pests. Comfrey mines nutrients from deep underground; yarrow and sweet alyssum attract beneficial insects like ladybugs; onions, garlic, and chives deter aphids. Together, these guilds create healthier trees and higher yields.

Today, Jerald’s garden boasts more than 50 dwarf and semi-dwarf fruit trees. He prunes them carefully to keep them small for easy harvesting and to maximize production. Espaliered apple trees line trellises near the house, creating both beauty and abundance. With so many cultivars, Jerald can harvest fruit from April through December. Grapes, berries, and vegetables—planted in successive waves—round out the harvest.

A Teacher at Heart

A Master Gardener, Jerald has spent years studying which plants thrive in Southern Utah. He favors perennials and self-seeding flowers like coneflower, zinnias, salvias, hollyhocks, and poppies. When these plants die back, he cuts them at the soil line, leaving roots in place to feed microbes and build healthy soil.

Jerald also groups his plantings by water and light needs. Berries flourish in the shade of fruit trees; strawberries thrive bug-free on mats of thyme. He’s eager to share how these combinations work—and encourages visitors to try their own experiments.

More Than a Garden

For newcomers, Jerald knows his thriving landscape of trees, vines, shrubs, and flowers can feel overwhelming. His advice: start small. Begin with a single bed or planting area, use seeds when possible, and share cuttings with neighbors. Gardening, he says, is more than production: it’s about building community and resilience.

As Jerald puts it, “Everybody needs to start somewhere. Plants save lives. Not only are they nourishing and medicinal—they save your soul. A lot of times, it’s a pretty big deal.”

Garden Wisdom from Jerald

• Think in guilds. Companion plants protect, feed, and support fruit trees better than chemicals can.

• Prune with purpose. Keeping fruit trees small makes them more productive—and easier to manage.

• Start small. Grow one area well before expanding. Share seeds and cuttings to build both gardens and community.